Fishing in Greenwood County, South Carolina
County seat: Greenwood. Population 69,351 (2020). SCDNR Region 1.
- 2lake pages
- 7landings
- 1river pages
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How Greenwood County shapes up for anglers
The Greenwood County courthouse sits in Greenwood; 69,351 residents were tallied there in 2020. SCDNR files the bulk of its access points here under SCDNR Region 1. Lake Greenwood leads the 2 lakes in the county that have their own guide. The county has 1 state lake on the SCDNR state lake list; Star Fort Pond is one.
Count 7 landings and paddle launches and 5 piers and bank sites in the SCDNR layer for the county. The county's river guides cover Saluda River. Trout rules apply on Saluda River.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census counts (TIGERweb) and the 2023 Gazetteer, read November 9, 2026. SCDNR South Carolina Public Water Access layer (ArcGIS service, the data behind the SCDNR fishing access map), read November 9, 2026.
For the trout herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 Charting the public water of Greenwood County
SCDNR Public Water Access layer and lake points, checked November 9, 2026.
Greenwood County lake pages by acreage
| Lake | Size | Landings | Kind | SCDNR species list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Greenwood | 11,400 acres | 8 | major reservoir | none on SCDNR lists |
| Star Fort Pond | 22 acres | 0 | SCDNR state lake | Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Redear Sunfish |
Few paged lakes sit inside Greenwood County, so the closest ones over the line follow, measured from Greenwood.
| Lake | From Greenwood | Size | Landings | Kind | SCDNR species list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boyd Pond | 18 miles southeast | not printed | 1 | named at an SCDNR access | none on SCDNR lists |
| Lake Secession | 26 miles west | 1,425 acres | 1 | major reservoir | Brook Trout, Rainbow Trout |
| Lake Russell | 31 miles west | 9,899 acres | 14 | major reservoir | Black Crappie, Bluegill, Largemouth Bass |
| Slades Lake | 32 miles southeast | not printed | 1 | named at an SCDNR access | none on SCDNR lists |
| Lake Thurmond | 32 miles southwest | 71,100 acres | 26 | major reservoir | Black Crappie, Bluegill, Largemouth Bass |
| Lick Fork Lake | 33 miles south | not printed | 1 | named at an SCDNR access | Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Redear Sunfish |
Surface acres and depth as SCDNR prints them on its page for this lake, read November 9, 2026. Sizes SCDNR does not print show as mapped outline area. Species as SCDNR lists them at its access points.
Most-listed fish on lakes close to Greenwood County
Around Greenwood, 50 miles out, Black Crappie turns up on the most SCDNR lists.
SCDNR Public Water Access species lists, counted per lake page within 50 miles; an occurrence list, not a catch survey.
State-run fishing lakes of Greenwood County
| State lake | Size | Fishing hours | Boat and motor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Star Fort Pond | 22 acres | ½ hour before official sunrise to ½ hour after official sunset | Paddle or electric trolling motor only |
South Carolina state lake rules
2026-2027 South Carolina Hunting & Fishing Guide, valid August 14, 2026 to August 14, 2027 (online guide), read November 9, 2026. SCDNR South Carolina Public Water Access layer (ArcGIS service, the data behind the SCDNR fishing access map), read November 9, 2026.
Greenwood County waterways with SCDNR access
- Saluda RiverSCDNR trout water, 15 SCDNR accesses, 11 USGS gauges
USGS sites logging Greenwood County rivers
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Saluda River Near Ware Shoals, Sc | 241 cfs, 2.10 ft gage height | Nov 13 8:15 pm |
| Wilson Creek At Ninety Six, Sc | 2.70 ft gage height | Nov 13 7:45 pm |
| Sample Branch At Greenwood, Sc | 4.10 ft gage height | Nov 13 8:15 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 13, 2026 8:32 pm ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
SCDNR South Carolina Public Water Access layer (ArcGIS service, the data behind the SCDNR fishing access map), read November 9, 2026. USGS Water Data for the Nation, live through the site, retrieved on page view.
Where Greenwood County holds trout
- Saluda Rivertrout rules printed
South Carolina trout water rules
2026-2027 South Carolina Hunting & Fishing Guide, valid August 14, 2026 to August 14, 2027 (online guide), read November 9, 2026. SCDNR South Carolina Public Water Access layer (ArcGIS service, the data behind the SCDNR fishing access map), read November 9, 2026.
Landings SCDNR maps for Greenwood County
- Greenwood Access AreaLake Greenwood, boat ramp, 2 lanes, concrete or paved, courtesy dock
- Greenwood County Boat RampLake Greenwood, boat ramp, 2 lanes, concrete or paved, courtesy dock
- Greenwood Shores Boat RampLake Greenwood, boat ramp, 1 lane, concrete or paved
- Greenwood State Park Campground RampLake Greenwood, boat ramp, 2 lanes, concrete or paved, courtesy dock
- Greenwood State Park RampLake Greenwood, boat ramp, 2 lanes, concrete or paved, courtesy dock, fishing pier
- Souls Harbor Boat Ramp on Lake GreenwoodLake Greenwood, boat ramp, 1 lane, concrete or paved
- Beacham Road Access on Saluda RiverSaluda River, paddle launch
SCDNR shore points across Greenwood County
- Buzzards Roost West Bank on Saluda RiverSaluda River, bank
- Lake Greenwood State Park PierLake Greenwood, pier, wood
- Star Fort Pond BankStar Fort Pond, bank
- Star Fort Pond PierStar Fort Pond, pier, wood
- Lake Greenwood State Park BankLake Greenwood, bank
SCDNR South Carolina Public Water Access layer (ArcGIS service, the data behind the SCDNR fishing access map), read November 9, 2026. The SCDNR layer carries no fee or hours field.
How the Greenwood County reservoirs are sitting
Lake Greenwood
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Greenwood Near Chappells, Sc | 438.24 ft lake elevation | Nov 13 7:45 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 13, 2026 8:32 pm ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
Freshwater keeping rules for Greenwood County
A Greenwood County angler starts with these statewide limits and checks for a row naming the water. A total of 40 game fish may be kept in any one day (freshwater), not exceeding the species limits (guide p. 28). Residents spend $10 and nonresidents $35 on an annual freshwater license from SCDNR.
| Species | Size limit | Daily limit |
|---|---|---|
| American Eel | 9 inches min | 25 |
| Blue Catfish | See limits in Freshwater Nongame Fishing Regulations section. | See limits in Freshwater Nongame Fishing Regulations section. |
| Bream | Any length | 30 |
| Redbreast Sunfish | Any length | 15 |
| Crappie | 8 inches min | 20 |
| Walleye & Sauger | Any length | No more than 8 combined total of walleye or sauger |
| Chain Pickerel | Any length | 30 |
| Redfin Pickerel | Any length | 30 |
| Yellow Perch | Any length | 30 |
| Smallmouth Bass | 12 inches min | No more than 5 combined total of smallmouth, largemouth, redeye bass or their hybrids |
| Redeye (Bartrams) Bass | Any length | No more than 5 combined total of smallmouth, largemouth, redeye bass or their hybrids |
| Largemouth Bass | Any length | No more than 5 combined total of smallmouth, largemouth, redeye bass or their hybrids |
| Spotted Bass | Any length | 15 |
| White Bass | Any length | 10 |
| Striped or Hybrid Bass or a combination | Any length | 10 |
Exceptions the guide lists in Greenwood County
- Lake GreenwoodLargemouth Bass: 14 inches min, No more than 5 combined total of smallmouth, largemouth, redeye bass or their hybrids
- Saluda RiverStriped or Hybrid Bass or a combination: Oct. 1 – June 15 striped bass between 23 and 25 inches may be harvested except that one fish may be greater than 26 inches, 3
2026-2027 South Carolina Hunting & Fishing Guide, valid August 14, 2026 to August 14, 2027 (online guide), read November 9, 2026. License prices as printed on the SCDNR license pricing pages (dnr.sc.gov), read November 9, 2026.
State records traced to lakes near Greenwood County
Greenwood County is absent from the record lists, but these nearby waters are on them.
| Species | Weight as listed | List | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Striped Bass | 63 | freshwater | Lake Russell | 2009 |
| Walleye | 10-0 | freshwater | Lake Russell | 1994 |
| Sauger | 4-7 | freshwater | Lake Thurmond | 1985 |
| White Bass | 5-4.8 | freshwater | Lake Murray | 2006 |
South Carolina state record fish as listed by SCDNR (record list), read November 9, 2026.
Team trails fishing Greenwood County
Organizer pages link 10 events or results to Greenwood County water, and 3 are still ahead.
| Date | Event | Water | Organizer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov. 13, 2026 | South Carolina Bass Nation State Championship | Lake Greenwood | South Carolina B.A.S.S. Nation |
| Dec. 12, 2026 | CATT Lake Greenwood Fall Final | Lake Greenwood | Carolina Anglers Team Trail (CATT) |
| April 24, 2027 | Fishers of Men SC Upstate Classic, Lake Greenwood | Lake Greenwood | Fishers of Men National Tournament Trail |
| Nov. 7, 2026 | CATT Lake Greenwood, SC Nov 7 qualifier | Lake Greenwood | Carolina Anglers Team Trail (CATT) |
| Oct. 24, 2026 | CATT Results! Carter Pjesky Wins Lake Greenwood, SC Oct 24, 2026. 5 Bass Weighing 18.34 lbs! | Lake Greenwood | Carolina Anglers Team Trail (CATT) |
| Oct. 10, 2026 | Anthony Kiker & Scott Hostetler Win Lake Greenwood, SC Oct 10, 2026 14.65 lbs! | Lake Greenwood | Carolina Anglers Team Trail (CATT) |
| Sept. 26, 2026 | Harrison McCall & Cole Moulton Win Lake Greenwood, SC Sept 26, 2026 14.16 lbs! | Lake Greenwood | Carolina Anglers Team Trail (CATT) |
| Sept. 12, 2026 | Tim Parker & Robert Biser Win Lake Greenwood, SC Sept 12, 2026. 17.92 lbs! BF 4.87 lbs! | Lake Greenwood | Carolina Anglers Team Trail (CATT) |
| March 14, 2026 | Fishers of Men SC Upstate Classic, Greenwood March 14, 2026 | Lake Greenwood | Fishers of Men National Tournament Trail |
| Feb. 8, 2025 | Fishers of Men SC Upstate Classic, Greenwood February 08, 2025 | Lake Greenwood | Fishers of Men National Tournament Trail |
Organizer schedule and results pages, checked November 2026.
Bait sellers and trip captains of Greenwood County
Greenwood County tackle counters
- 702 Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Ninety Six
- Berry's Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Ninety Six
- Fish Bonz General Store & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Greenwood
Guides and charters with a Greenwood County listing
- Indian Head Fishing Lodge Incfishing guide, Greenwood, (864) 323-4691
Yellow Pages listings (city of business), read November 9, 2026.
Further pages linked to Greenwood County
Town pages within Greenwood County
- Greenwoodpop. 22,545
- Ninety Sixpop. 2,076
- Ware Shoalspop. 1,701
Neighbouring county pages for Greenwood County
- Abbeville County19 miles west
- McCormick County21 miles southwest
- Laurens County24 miles north
- Saluda County25 miles southeast
Piscifun tackle laid out for a tide at Greenwood County
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Visual key to fish swimming at Greenwood County
Photo: Under the same moon, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Duane Raver, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Setting the record straight on Greenwood County fishing
Can I trailer a boat to a public landing in Greenwood County?
The SCDNR layer places 7 landings and launches in the county.
Which Greenwood County lake has the most acreage on SCDNR records?
Lake Greenwood (11,400 acres).
What species are listed at access points around Greenwood County?
SCDNR access lists name Black Crappie on the most lake pages within 50 miles, then Bluegill, Largemouth Bass and Channel Catfish.
Which Greenwood County listings sell shrimp, crickets or lures?
702 Bait & Tackle heads 3.
What South Carolina town serves as seat of Greenwood County?
Greenwood serves as seat.
What license do anglers carry in Greenwood County?
Residents spend $10 and nonresidents $35 on an annual freshwater license from SCDNR.
Which counties sit next to Greenwood County?
The closest county pages are Abbeville County, McCormick County and Laurens County.
What is the crappie limit in Greenwood County?
Statewide: Crappie: 20 daily, size 8 inches min. A guide row naming a lake can change it.
What region does SCDNR assign Greenwood County landings?
SCDNR Region 1, going by the majority of its SCDNR access records.
Which Greenwood County lakes have special rules?
2 waters with a page here have a guide row of their own, beginning with Lake Greenwood.
Are there managed state lakes in Greenwood County?
Star Fort Pond, with hours and boat rules set by the state lake regulation.
What is the next dated SC tournament on Greenwood County water?
10 organizer entries on file; next is South Carolina Bass Nation State Championship on Lake Greenwood, Nov. 13, 2026.
Plan a Palmetto State day in Greenwood County
Landing pages carry SCDNR lane counts and directions.